Well, it’s been a long time since I got down to business (and fun). Between traveling, family and pet illnesses, I’ve not been feeling much like painting. Hopefully, all will be well and I can get back to what I love. This is an 8-1/2 X 11X1/2 pastel on Canson Mi-Teintes paper using primarily Unisons, Ludwigs and a some I’m not sure about.
Enjoy!
Well, here’s number 66 in the challenge to do 100 pastels with different colors. For those who are just seeing the blog for the first time, the object was to design a painting (most people involved designed landscapes), choose a size (mine are 5″ X 7″) and a time limit (mine is 30 minutes). Then, the fun part was to complete 100 paintings never repeating any particular color scheme. Some, of course, are similar, but the whole idea was to force yourself to use colors that you wouldn’t normally use, thus breaking through the rut we often find ourselves in.
You can find the other 65 in earlier posts. Enjoy!
Tags: 100 Pastel Challenge, Color, landscape, pastel
I’ve been trying to work looser and had to stop myself from adding any more details. I had some photos from years back that I combined and added a creek. Hope you enjoy.
Well, I’ve been working on completing this challenge, but haven’t posted the result for awhile. Above are the most recent.
For newbies, this was a challenge to complete 100 versions of the same pastel. You had to choose the size and a time limit (I chose 5 X 7 and 30 minutes) the idea being that this would force you to use colors that you wouldn’t normally choose. And it has really worked for me. I wasn’t aware how much I was reaching for the same colors when I painted a landscape. But, I have to admit, I’m looking forward to finishing soon!
Tags: 100 Pastel Challenge, Color, landscape, pastel
We’ve been visiting family in the SF bay area and I just had to jump in and get something done. The is the 61st painting in the challenge. I was going to just post groups of 4 in the future, but couldn’t resist posting this.
We had a great time in Marin (I didn’t tell everyone that we brought the sunny days up there with us!) Actually, we had a little rain on Saturday, but the barbecue on Sunday was in a wonderful sunny day and the three birthday cakes (this was a family celebration), were perfect.
Enjoy!
Tags: 100 Pastel Challenge, Color, landscape, pastel
Our guild’s Spring Show was yesterday and I’m thrilled to report that I got two ribbons: one was third place for Kansas Farm and an honorable mention for Marshland. I had entered three pastel paintings as shown below. Yeah!
Marshland is very proud of her ribbon!
as is Kansas Farm
and the runner-up was Farm in the Valley!
Yes, I was very, very pleased!
This was done on a heavy watercolor paper, first roughing in the background colors, then going over this with brush and water. This is a process used by many pastelists to put in the background without filling the texture of the paper, thus allowing several layers of pastel as needed. Once pastel has filled the texture, the color just slides off as you try to add more. You have a couple of options when that happens, such as spraying with fixitive which allows a little more pastel to be applied, or you can taka a stiff brush and remove portions of the painting to be changes.
I had picked up an off-brand of watercolor paper to work on and discovered during the process that the paper was a little too textured. I’ll be keeping the pad for future watercolors, but using this particular paper for pastels was especially difficult.
I have the process steps below. The painting is 7-1/2 X 11-1/2 using primarily Unison pastels. Enjoy!
Here is the painting before completing the blending with water. The sloping horizon line is due to a sloppy photo edit.
Here is the beginning of adding the marsh grasses, next is reflections in the water and completing the sky and cloud colors.
Tags: Coast, Color, landscape, pastel, process study
Ok, that’s numbers 57, 58, 59 and 60.
So, I’ll probably go back to watercolor for awhile. …..wait a minute….I already said that didn’t I? I think I mean it this time.
I hope you are all enjoying my struggle to make each one different. Only 40 more to go!!
Tags: 100 Pastel Challenge, Color, landscape, pastel
Yes, here’s another one. Today was full of errands and paperwork. I’ve discovered that it’s nice to have something going that doesn’t need a lot of thought and simple decisions to relax a little.
I hope you are all enjoying this challenge.
Tags: 100 Pastel Challenge, Color, landscape, pastel
Ahh………55 is a good number! For newbies, this is a challenge to complete 100 pastels using the same painting, but changing colors, same size 5 X 7 and done in 30 minutes. (I think that keeps us from fussing over colors when the purpose is to force us to choose colors other than what we normally choose. It’s been great fun so far, but I do have to admit, it’s getting harder keeping them all different. And when I choose a color and don’t like it, it’s hard just to leave it alone and move on,
Hope you are having fun with this too. Someday,you will see them altogether.
Tags: 100 Pastel Challenge, Color, landscape, pastel
